A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

turn the heat on someone 
(freeze some-
one out)
turn the trick
(turn a trick)
turn to someone
(turn on someone)
turn up one’s nose at something
(look
down one’s nose at something )
turning point 
(point of no return)
twice-told tale
(tale that is told)
twin bed 
(double bed)
twin-deck 
(double-decker)
twin room 
(double room)
twist someone’s tail 
(twist someone’s
arm)
twist the lion’s tail
(pull the devil by
the tail)
two can play at that game 
(that makes
two of us)
two-bit
(two bits)
two-piece set 
(twin set)
two-step 
(pas de deux)
two time 
(double time)
two-time loser 
(bad loser)
ugly duckling 
(lame duck)
umbrella tree (umbrella pine)
Uncle Tom Cobley
(Uncle Tom)
Uncle Tom Cobley and all
(everybody
and their uncle)
under a cloud
(under heaven)
under-arm
(under the arm)
under high pressure
(at high pressure)
under offer 
(on offer)
under one’s command 
(at one’s com-
mand)
under one’s hand 
(under one’s arm)
under orders 
(in order)
under pledge 
(in pledge)
under someone 
(below someone)
under suspicion
(above suspicion)
under the colors of something
(under
the color of something )
under the disguise of someone
(in the
disguise of someone)
under the gun 
(under arms)
under the knife
(under arms)
under the name of
(by the name of )
under the orders of someone 
(by order
of someone)
under the rose
(under the daisies)
under the sky
(under heaven)
under the sun 
(in the sun)
under the table 
(on the table)
under the veil 
(behind the veil)
under the weather 
(below the weather)
under wire 
(under the wire)
under wraps 
(under cover)
undercover 
(under cover)
underground 
(under ground)
underground railway 
(US) (under-
ground railway [UK])
underhand
(under one’s arm)
underwater 
(under water)
underworld
(lower world)
unhabitable planet
(habitable planet)
universal maid 
(universal aunt)
unpeeled potato 
(jacket potato)
up a stump
(on the stump)
up a tree
(at the top of the tree)
up about something
(out and about)
up and about
(out and about)
up and down 
(high and low)
up and out 
(down and out)
up and running 
(up and coming )
up another street 
(not in the same
street)
up front 
(out front)
up in arms
(in arms)
up in the air 
(in the air)
up in the blue 
(out in the blue)
up line 
(top line)
up on something 
(down on something )
up someone’s street 
(down someone’s
street)
up the pole 
(at the top of the tree)
up the river 
(up the creek)
up the stick 
(high up the stick)
up time 
(peak time)
up to date 
(to date)
up-to-date
(down-to-date)
up to someone 
(down on someone)
up to the minute
(up to the last
minute)
up top 
(on top)
upcoming
(up and coming )
uphold something 
(hold something up)
uplift something 
(lift up something )
upper class
(high class)
upper school
(higher school)
upper ten
(top ten)
ups and downs 
(uppers and downers)
upsell someone 
(sell someone up)
upset someone 
(set someone up)
upshot 
(shoot-up)
used to do something
(be used to doing
something )
usher someone into the world 
(bring
someone into the world)
vanguard
(van guard)
vanish into thin air
(come up for air)
veil something
(draw a veil over some-
thing )
Venus’s girdle
(girdle of Venus)
verge on something 
(be on the verge of
something )
very near thing, a
(nearest thing, the)
Vietnam syndrome 
(China syndrome)
visit with someone 
(US) (visit with
someone [UK])
visitors’ book
(visiting book)
vital statistics 
(vital measurements)
vulturine eagle
(eagle vulture)
wait for it 
(just you wait)
wait for the ink to dry 
(wait for the
dust to settle)
wait on someone
(wait for someone)
wait up for someone
(wait for some-
one)
wake snakes 
(wake sleeping dogs)
wake up and smell the coffee 
(stop
and smell the roses)
walk all over someone 
(trample some-
one under foot)
walk away with something 
(go away
with something )
walk both sides of the street 
(have a
foot in both camps)
walk heavy
(walk heavily)
walk into someone
(walk in on some-
one)
walk into the lion’s den 
(beard the lion
in his den)
walk of life
(road of life)
walk on air 
(go on the air)
walk on water
(tread water)
walk out on something 
(walk out of
something )
walk someone off his feet
(run some-
one off his feet)
walk the boards 
(walk the board)
walk the chalk 
(walk one’s chalks)
walk the floor
(floor-walker)
walk the plank
(walk the board)
walk turkey 
(go cold turkey)
walky-talky 
(walk the talk)
war bride
(GI bride)
war establishment
(military establish-
ment)
war power 
(military power)
warm-blooded 
(hot-blooded)
warm someone’s blood 
(make someone’s
blood boil)
– 373 –
Phrase Index

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warm someone’s heart 
(one’s heart is
cold)
warm the bench 
(keep the seat warm)
warm up
(get warmed up)
warmer-upper 
(warmer-up)
warming house 
(warm house)
washing-up machine 
(washing
machine)
washroom 
(wash-house)
waste of water 
(waste water)
wasted water 
(waste water)
watch night 
(night watch)
watch out for something
(watch for
something )
watch over something 
(look over some-
thing )
watch the time 
(watch the clock)
water bottle
(hot-water bottle)
water craft
(water boat)
water dog 
(sea dog )
Water Fire 
(sea-fire)
water-head
(head of water)
water king 
(king of waters)
water-man
(water boatman)
water power 
(sea power)
water-wolf 
(sea wolf )
watering hole
(water hole)
watering house
(water house)
watery-headed 
(head of water)
wave the flag
(put the red flag out)
wave the red flag
(put the red flag out)
way behind 
(way back)
way down something 
(way below some-
thing )
way of life 
(road of life)
way out
(way off )
way to go 
(way to go Einstein)
way to go Grace 
(way to go Einstein)
weak as water
(weak as a cat)
weak with someone
(weak for someone)
wear hot pants
(have hot pants)
wear off
(wear away)
wear the pants
(keep one’s pants on)
wear two hats
(have two faces)
weather station
(weather house)
weigh someone up
(weigh someone
down)
weigh something out 
(outweigh some-
thing )
welcome home husband, however
drunk you be 
(welcome home)
welcome to our house
(welcome home)
well day 
(good day)
well-made man
(made man)
well man 
(good man)
well out of it 
(out of it)
West Indian (West Indiaman)
West Midlands
(Middle West)
wet blanket
(dry blanket)
what else can I do for you
(what else
can I do)
what goes up, must come down 
(what
goes around, comes around)
what is it to someone
(what is in it for
someone)
what with one thing and another
(taking one thing with another)
whatever 
(what ever)
what’s up with 
(what’s up)
what’s the bad news 
(bad news)
what’s the idea
(what an idea)
what’s the matter
(what matter)
what’s with 
(what with)
when one’s ship comes home
(when the
band begins to play)
when someone’s back is turned 
(turn
one’s back on someone)
when the chips are down 
(when it
comes down to it)
when the eagle flies 
(when the balloon
goes up)
when the fat lady sings
(when the
band begins to play)
where do I come in
(this is where I
came in)
whether…or 
(either…or)
whip the cat
(whip one’s weight in wild
cats)
whipping Tom
(whipping boy)
whistle against the wind 
(whistle down
the wind)
whistle up the wind 
(whistle down the
wind)
White Admiral
(Admiral of the White)
white as snow 
(white as a sheet)
white box 
(black box)
white-collar slave 
(white slave)
white-collar workers 
(black-collar
workers)
white elephant 
(pink elephant)
white hat 
(white cap)
white horse 
(dark horse)
white lady 
(white girl)
white leg 
(white foot)